Maryland

Baltimore/Washington International Airport to Open First-of-its-Kind Fitness Center

25 Jan, 2017

Athletes and teams who find themselves stuck on a long layover in Baltimore can now sneak in a workout.

ROAM Fitness, an Oregon-based startup, is installing its first post-security-checkpoint fitness facility in BWI Thurgood Marshall International Airport. The 1,175-square-foot area will offer “access to cardio equipment, stretching space, free weights, medicine balls, stability balls, a TRX system [and] yoga props.” The workout space will be open daily from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. and will accommodate up 21 people.

Additionally, one of four private bathrooms with showers and towel service can be reserved for 15 minutes — so you won’t be sweaty and stinky on your next flight. According to USA Today, “travelers who don’t have their own workout gear can rent or purchase active wear and footwear and have their own workout outfits vacuum-sealed after a visit to keep odors from mingling.”

Construction is underway, according to ROAM’s website, and the gym at BWI is expected to open later this month. Similar ROAM facilities are under consideration or construction at more than 25 other major international airports, including those in Atlanta, Pittsburgh and Charlotte.

To ensure travelers can dedicate the appropriate time and energy for their workout and enjoy a refreshing escape from the stresses of air travel, we made sure our facility was located after security, since going through security is a time variable that can never be predicted,” ROAM co-founder Cynthia Sandall told USA Today.

It’s a substitute for things that already exist in the airport,” she added in an interview with Travel Weekly, referencing bars, restaurants, retail outlets and gate areas. “And it’s particularly for people who want to manage their stress or get an escape rather than just sit in the crowd.”

Access to ROAM Fitness at BWI cost $40 per day, $175 per month and $600 per year, but discounted passes are available for a limited time.

For comparison’s sake, USA Today notes that a day pass to use the fitness, swimming and shower facilities at the Westin Detroit Metropolitan Airport hotel costs $15, a day pass to facilities at the Hilton Chicago O’Hare Airport hotel costs $20 and a GoodLife Fitness branch at Toronto Pearson International Airport costs about $11 (USD) for a 14-day trial membership.

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